John d



(KINO Model.)

J. D. GRAHAM.

CAR AXLE LUBRATR.

Patented Jan. 2O1,`1885 ;W e w I charged into the oil-.reservoir.

llNira` States JOHN D. GRAHAM, OF

Ament rrica CR-AXLE LUBRICATO R.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,941, datedd'anuary 20, 1885.

i Application filcd February 25, 1884. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may eoiwern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Axle Lubricators, fully described and represented in the following specific'ation and the accompaniying drawings, forming a part of the same.

It is the object of this invention to produce a simple, cheap, and effective device adapted to be combined with the journal-box of a caraxle and operate to conduct the oil in a regular even quantity onto the said axle and thus lubricate the same in the most perfect manner.

The invention consists in a novel structure of lubricating device adapted to be placed in the j ournal-box beneath the axle,which device embraces spring-seated rollers mounted in rolling` contact, one of which bears upon the axle, while the other dips in the oil, said rollers being in some cases provided with means for driving one from the other, and with breakers or buckets for breaking up the lubricautwhen it is congealed, with which rollers are combined spring-seated distributing-pads, all of which will be more particularly hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying` drawings illustrate the invention as applied practically, Figure 1 being a longitudinal sectional elevation of a caraxle box with the lubricating device and the axle in elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectioual elevation of the same on the line w x of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same onthe line g/ y of Fig. 1.

The most common means employed for the lubrication of ear-axles is the use of Cotton waste saturated with the lubricant. This mode, as is well recognized,while effective is expensive,for the reason that it occasions great waste of the lubrieaut, and in consequenee of having to be frequently renewed. The device embodying the present invention is, however,of apermanent character, and is so constructed as to economize the lubricant, as it simply acts to convey the clear oil up to the axle and enable any surplus quantity fed to the axle to be dis- To enable the construction, application, and operation of the improved lubricating device to be readily understood, the common parts with which it co-operates will first be explained. The axle A is provided at both ends with a box upon the equalizing-bar seat B of which the truck supporting the car has its bear- 5 5 ing. This box is a metal structure, having' top O, bottoin D, sides E IF, back G, and front H, within which is a cavity capable of receiving the axle and its bearings, and also providing a considerable space below the axle. The end of the axle A enters within the box, and is bornel upon by a journal-bearing, I, centered in place by a stop-key, J, that rests iu a seat provided for it in the under side of the top plate, C, of the box. The axle passes through a loose collar or dust-guard, L, that has Vertical play in a reeess cut in the back G of the box, ,and the plate of the stop-key J supports the stop-key M and stop-plate Nthat depend in front of the end of the axle. The front H of the box rises from the bottom D to aheight sufficient to form an oil-reservoir iu the bottom of the box be- Heath the axle, and it is provided with an opening', O, through which the interior may be examined, or the internal parts be removed and replaced, and through which this device is inserted. In such structure it will be observed that in consequence of the box being,` pressed downward the space below the axle may receive any means for conveyiug' the oil or other lubricant deposited therein up to the axle, and as perfect lubrication depends upon a constant application of the lubricant to the axle, and is most effective when that supply is a thin film,

it will be apparent that a device accomplish- 8 5 ing these ends will be most advantageous.

The lubricating device involving the present invention consists of a fountain-roller, 1, and a distributing-roller, 2, clothed with felt or cloth, and mounted so as to revolve freely, the fountain-roller 1 dipping` into the oil 8 held in the reservoir, and the distributing-roller 2 running in contact with the fountain-roller 1, and in contact with the under side of the axle A. These rollers have their axes tied together at either end by straps 4 5, so that they always maintain the same relation, and they are supported by gravity in one direction, by reason of their axes 5 6 resting` upon the spring-arms 10 l1,the axis 5 lyingiin the crotch of the spring- Ioo arms 10 12 and 11 13, while the axis 6 merely rest-s upon the spring-arms 10 11. Thesespring'- arms 12 and 11 13 rise, respectively, from oppended upon to cause the roller 1 to be driven posite sides of feet 16, that rest upon the bottom D of the box, and cross each other, so as to protrude upward on opposite sides of the axle A, and they tllus act to constantly press the rollers 1 2 upward. At their upper ends the spring-arms 10 11 are connected by longitudinal pieces that support a pad, 16,\vhile the larms 12 13 are siinilarly connected and support a pad, 17. These pads are made of cloth, felt, or similar soft material, and by means of the resilient action of the spring-arms are constantl y pressed against oppositesurfaces of the axle A, and said pads extend inwardl y far enough to cover the dust-guard bearing of the axle A. The rollers 1 2,where simply eovered with felt,will operate advantageously, and as so made will first be considered with respect to the operation.

The reservoir being filled with oil to a sufficient depth to cause the roller 1 to dip therein, the operation is as follows: The spring-arms 10 11 1213 pressing constantlyupward, spread or contract according to the degree of Vertical play caused to the axle A, always hold the pads 16 17 against the axle, and support the roller 2 in contact therewith, and the straps 4 5 likewise keep the rollers 1 2in contact. The frietional contact of the roller 2 with the axle causes said roller 2 to revolve, and this roller in turn causes its fellow roller 1 to turnin the oil. The roller 1 consequentl y becomes Saturated with the oil and conveys it to the surface of the roller 2,and the latter transfers it to the surface of the axle A, upon which it is evenly i distributed in a thin film by the pad 16 or 17,

the latter after a few revolntions becomin g saturated until they can hold no more, and thereafter the oil drops from them into the reservoir, to be again fed to them as required. The construction is such -that whatever grit or dirt may reach the interior of the box will gravitate to the bottom of the reservoir and remain there out of reach of the feeding-roller1,which running above the bottom of the box can only feed clear oil,and whatever dirt or grit reaches the pads 16 17 willdrop off the samewith the surplus oil and descend to the bottom of the reser- Voir. The resultis therefore a feed of clear oil and the constant application of the same in a thin film to the axle, without the creation of any undue friction from the application to the axle of carrying-pads having excessive di mensions, as is the case with abox stuffed with cotton waste as the vehicle for the lubrieant, or a similar device enveloping the aXle.

In order that frietion alone may not be deby the roller 2, the former or the latter may be provided With spurs 8,that project into the soft surface of the 'felly, and thus drive one positively from the other. Gearing of any kind may be applied to the same end.

Another feature of the invention consists in constrncting the roller 1 with buekets or breakers 9,whereby the oil may be broken up When congealed, and in all casesv a sufiicient quantity of oil be raised and applied to the roller 2. One good form of this is shown in Fig. 1,where said roller is eonstructed in alternate seetions, one section being felt-covered, and the next supplied with buckets 9; but the structure may be this or one consisting entirely of breakers or buckets, which, p referably, will be arranged in spiral rolls, so as to diminish the power necessary to rotate the roller 1.

Vhat is claimed is- 1. As an article ofman u facture,` the car-axlelubricating device consisting ofrollers 1 2, tied together, supported in contact, and upheld by crossed spring-arms upon which their aXes rest, so that one dips in the oil and the other bears upon the aXle, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rollers 1 2, tied together by the straps 4,0f the crossed springarms arranged to affordbearings that support the' said rollers in different planes, Whereby while both are elastically seated and run in contact one may dip into the oil and the other bear upon the axlc, substantially as described.

3. In an aXle-lubricating device, the combination,with theaxle, of the rol1ers12, geared together, held in rolling contact, and supported in different planes upon crossed Springs, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the axle, the crossed Springs, and rollers supported in different planes thereby, of the lubricating-pads at the extremitics of said Springs, substantially as desoribed.

5. In an aXle-lubricating device, the combination, With the aXle andmeans for applying the lubricant thereto,of a roller, as 1, provided with rigid breakers or buckets for breaking up the lubricantwhen congealed,-substantially as deseribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN D. GRAHAM.

Vitnesses:

T. H.PALMER, JAs. A. HovnY.

IOO 

